Mail box



Jan. 17, 1939.v

MAIL BOX FiledJan. 25, 1937 ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 17, 1939 UNITED STATE-.s

PATENT oFFlfcE -1 Claim.

The invention relates to mail boxes and is'directed lparticularly to the large box commonly used vin public buildings and at post office substations where it is usually placed on the floor, ground or sidewalk. Collections are made from the boxes at selected intervals, the collector carrying a sack with him to the box into which he places the mail matter that has been deposited into the box. 'The removal of the mail matter requires more or less time according to the quantity of matter in the box. In stormy weather the inail matter is apt to be soiled and the address made illegible and frequently parcels are carried away by wind.

The object of my invention is to provide a novel mail box in which the foregoing disadvantages are overcome.

Another object is to provide a mail box with novel means by which to supporta mail bag within it into which the mail matter will descend and which bag with its contents is readily removed and another bag installed with a large saving in time and the elimination of danger of injury to or loss of the mail matter by the elements.

The invention consists of the novel combination and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claim, an embodiment of which is illustrated in the accompanying l drawing.

In the drawing Figure l is an elevational view of a mail box having the invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, broken away and partly in section.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the box the outer shell being in section.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the chute partly broken away and Fig. 5 is a front view of the chute, broken away.

The shell of the box is similar to that in use at the present time and consists of a rear wall I secured to the angle bars 2. The bars may project below the bottom 3 of the box to form feet 4 upon which to stand the box. The bars are curved in their upper portions and extend downwardly at the front side of the box and the wall I is similarly curved to form a part of the top wall 5 of the box. The side walls 6, 'I are also secured to the angle bars 2. As shown the top wall 5 terminates at or beyond the vertical axis of the box so as to form an opening 8 that is rearwardly of the front side of the box through which the mail matter may be inserted into the box.

A chute 9 is secured to the topl wall 5 of the box and depends therefrom into the box. It com- -prises'two angle bars I0 at opposite sides to which the combined lcurved top and rear walls II and the side walls I2, AI3` are secured. An angle 'bar I4 is secured to the forward end of the wall II and to the forward end of the top wall 5. forward portion of the upper portion of the side walls I2, I3, is cut out, the forward edge of the remainder of the upper portion of each said wall being bent outwardly to form the anges I5 which abut the adjacent side walls 6, 'I of the box and 10 space the chute from the latter walls.

A flange or angle bar I6 is formed on or secured to the upper edge of the portion of each side wall I2, I3 which extends forwardly from the lower edge of the flanges I5 to a point close to the front side of the box. Preferably these flanges IB slope downwardly from the flanges I5. A plate I'I is secured to the angle bars 2 and forms the front wall of the box. The upper portion I8 of the plate Il is bent over and is secured to the flanges I5, its upper lateral edge being preferably under the flanges I5. Since the flanges I6 slope downwardly the shelf or lateral portion I8 of the plate I'I`slopes downwardly and sheds all rain that falls on it. The side edges of the shelf abut the adjacent walls of the box and the joint may be water tight if desired.

A gate I8 is pivotally supported on the shelf I8, the upper portion being adapted to close the open front portion of the chute adjacent to the opening 8 and the lower portion extends down into the chute. The lower portion is of such length that when the gate is rocked forwardly to expose the opening in the chute the lower end of said portion substantially contacts the rear wall of the chute.

In all positions of the gate access to the interior of the box is avoided.

A wall 20 is attached to the forward ends of the side walls I2, I3 below the shelf I8 and is preferably inclined inwardly. The chute is open between the lower edge of the wall 20 and the lower edge of the curved wall II and mail matter deposited in the chute discharges through said opening.

Adjacent each corner of the chute at the discharge opening thereof is xed a pin or lug 22 that projects outwardly and upwardly from the adjacent wall of the chute. These pins serve to support a Inail bagwith the neck of the bag surrounding the lower end of the chute. made possible since the walls of the chute, especially the lower ends thereof, are all spaced from the adjacent walls of the box, affording ample room to engage a mail bag on the pins.

A door 23 in the rear wall of the box affords 55 The 5 This iS access to the interior of the box for removing a bag with mail matter therein and installing an empty bag.

It is thus apparent that much time and effort is saved in removing mail matter from the box and at the same time damage or loss by the elements is avoided.

What I claim is:

In a mail box, an outer casing including a pair of side walls having substantially semi-circular upper ends, a back and top wall extending vertically up between the rear edge portions of the side walls and then upwardly and forwardly along the edges of the semi-circular ends and terminating slightly forward of a plane passing vertically through the centers of said upper ends, a front wall between the vertical forward edge portions of the side walls, a top wall front portion extending rearwardly from the top edge of the front wall at an upward inclination and terminating rearwardly of the forward edge of the back and top wall, a normally vertical closure member pivoted at the rear edge of the top wall front portion and having an upper and a lower section, said upper section being of a width to extend from one side wall to the other, in combination with an inner casing having a segmento-cylindrical inner back wall merging at its upper edge into the back 5 wall of the outer casing and extending downwardly and forwardly concentric to the closure pivot, said last mentioned back wall having its side edges spaced from the side walls of the outer casing, an inner front wall extending downward- 1 1y and rearwardly from a line spaced below the forward edge of the said top front portion and having the same width as the inner back wall, inner side walls having edges engaging the said top front portion, the inner front wall, the inner 1 rear wall and the upper portion of the closure, said closure having its lower portion extending between the inner side wall and its depth slightly less than the radius of the inner back wall, and bag suspending pins at the lower corners of the 2 inner front and rear walls.

ARTHUR M. BIENZ. 

